


Contractual Obligation

by CarnivalImpmon



Category: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica, The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Barry is a magical girl, Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, Flashpoint doesn't happen, Gen, Magical Girls, ill add characters as they appear - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 07:12:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11527185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarnivalImpmon/pseuds/CarnivalImpmon
Summary: The effects of Flashpoint seem innumerable, and Barry feels terrible for what he's done. So, when he's offered a chance to put everything back to the way it was with no side effects, he sees no reason not to take it.





	1. The Cat Rabbit

If he was thinking rationally, Barry probably would have alerted someone else when he saw the strange creature. It had somehow gotten into STAR Labs without alerting anyone, and looked unnatural to boot. Unfortunately, he wasn’t thinking rationally. Going back in time and stopping Flashpoint from being created should have fixed everything. Everything should have gone back to normal. But it hadn’t, it was somehow worse, and it was all Barry’s fault. Now he had to deal with that, but so far he hadn’t done very well with that.

So, when the small, strange creature padded delicately into view, he didn’t say anything. He gave some half-hearted excuse to Caitlin, the only person who didn’t seem negatively affected by his stupid decision, and hurried into the hallway where the creature waited. It looked up at him with big, red eyes, then scampered off down the hall. Barry hesitated, then went after it as if he was in a trance. Maybe he was seeing things. This could just be a hallucination from the stress of trying to understand this new, messed up timeline he’d created; that made sense, right? If so, he didn’t need to tell anyone.

The creature eventually stopped and turned back to face him, sitting and casually licking a snow white paw. It looked like a cat, sort of, with its fluffy tail and pointy ears, but its face was too flat. Two more ears that resembled a rabbit’s hung from its more cat-like ones, the white fur fading to pink near the spoked tips, with shimmering red crystals the same color as its eyes poking out of the rosy fur. A golden ring that defied gravity encircled each rabbit ear, moving with them despite not being attached.

“Hello, Barry,” a soft, innocent voice spoke. Or rather, he heard it, but nothing opened its mouth to speak. Actually, it reminded him of how Grodd communicated. He heard it in his head rather than his ears. “My name is Kyubey.”

“...That’s you talking?” Barry said uncertainly, blinking at the white creature.

“Yes. I communicate telepathically.” It stopped licking its paw and looked up at him. Its cat mouth almost seemed to smile. “But you already guessed that, huh?”

“I...Yes. How did you…?”

“I know all about you, Barry Allen.” The creature, Kyubey, didn’t blink as it stared at him. “I know about your interaction with that gorilla. What a creature it was…” It paused. “And of course, I know you’re what the humans here call ‘the Flash.’”

“You’ve been watching me?” Barry tensed, suspicious of Kyubey now. If this wasn’t some hallucination, it could be a threat. It knew who he was, it knew about Grodd, and it probably knew more if it wasn’t just bluffing.

“You could say that.” Kyubey’s voice was calm. It either didn’t notice or didn’t care about the suspicion in Barry’s voice and demeanor. “You are, after all, a very interesting human.”

“Why show yourself now?”

“I’ve finally made up my mind.” Kyubey’s ears and tail twitched, as if it was excited. “You would be an unconventional specimen...but you would do well. I came to ask you to make a contract with me.”

Barry sputtered for a moment, trying to process the creature’s words. “What kind of contract?”

“Let’s see...We would have to change the terminology in your case...I will grant you any wish, and in return you will allow me to turn you into a Magical...Man? No, that doesn’t roll off the tongue as well.” The creature shook its head, ears flopping in an undeniably cute way. “Sorry. An offer to an adult, much less a male, has never been made.”

Barry couldn’t help but laugh. At the creature, at its words, at its casual tone, at the entire situation. He’d just been wishing he could take back the actions that made Flashpoint, and then this creature showed up offering him a wish and magic? There was no doubt this was a hallucination now. Or at the very least a dream. Maybe he’d passed out at some point and was lying on a cot in the medical ward.

Kyubey just cocked its head and observed, unblinking.

“Sure, let’s...let’s make a contract,” Barry spat after his laughing fit, suddenly bitter at his subconscious. Of course it was taunting him like this.

“Are you sure?” Kyubey asked, standing smoothly. “I have yet to explain what you would be expected to do as a Magical...Boy? No, that’s incorrect. Adult male humans are not referred to as that…”

Barry laughed again, then knelt down in front of Kyubey. He picked the creature up like he would a cat, not the slightest bit wary now that he’d convinced himself this wasn’t real. Kyubey didn’t struggle and allowed itself to be cradled in Barry’s arms. Its fur was velvety soft, and it felt more like a plush toy than an actual animal.

“Alright. Explain first.” Kyubey was silent for a moment, then inclined its head in agreement.

“Once your wish has been granted and you have received your powers, you will be expected to fight witches.” It paused. Barry just looked at it with dry amusement. He didn’t care what story his subconscious was spitting out out, he just wanted to wake up at this point. “The fights will be difficult, but part of the reason I chose you was because you are already accustomed to fighting the borderline supernatural.” Its eyes seemed to glisten for a moment. “There’s no telling how powerful you could be with your body’s already considerable strength combined with that of your soul.”

“Any wish I want, right?” Barry asked. Kyubey nodded. “Fine. I wish Flashpoint never happened, with no side effects.”

“You seem very anxious to make this contract,” Kyubey noted, squirming and slipping free of Barry’s hold. “That’s strange, considering there’s nothing pressuring you. I’m glad you’re so willing since it makes things easier for me, but…”

“I just want to wake up,” Barry sighed. Kyubey blinked for the first time since Barry had seen it, then laughed.

“This isn’t a dream, Barry. Don’t make this decision thinking it doesn’t mean anything.”

“Sure...Magic and wishes are real. So grant mine.” Barry and Kyubey stared at each other for a moment, then the creature nodded.

“Of course. You want ‘Flashpoint’ to have never existed; a very powerful wish indeed.” Its ears twitched at Barry’s dry chuckle. “But of course I can grant it. It’s a variation of time magic, which is well within my abilities. Everything in your timeline will go back to normal. I’ll leave it so the months you spent in Flashpoint have passed in your timeline, both so you don’t get too confused and so you don’t get to redo that time. You didn’t wish for that, after all.” Kyubey’s rabbit ears lifted from where they dangled beside its head and the gems on their tips glowed. “Are you ready, Barry?”

“Yeah,” Barry sighed, watching Kyubey with little interest. He only hoped he woke up soon. It was starting to hurt having this impossible chance held right in front of him.

“The contract has been made. Your wish will be granted.” Kyubey’s ears moved forward to Barry’s chest, then began to glow and slide past his shirt and skin as if they weren’t there. Barry was frozen as he watched, and even when a sudden sharp pain shot through him he couldn’t move. It felt like something was being slowly torn out, his heart maybe. All he could do was scream as Kyubey’s ears began to move back out of him.

When they emerged, a small, glowing light was held between them. The light gradually began to solidify into a large, glowing stone of red and gold, with a shimmering golden casing. Kyubey set the stone down, and watched as Barry slumped over, panting and clutching his chest. The pain was receding quickly, leaving just a residual ache in his chest and head.

“Wh-what...was that?” he gasped out, running a hand back over his scalp. It came back slick with sweat.

“I had to create your Soul Gem,” Kyubey explained, nosing the glittering stone closer to Barry. “You now have powers, and the responsibility to protect people from witches.” It sat back down and started cleaning its face. “Dealing with that shouldn’t be too hard for you, since you already fight difficult opponents, but they will likely be some of the strongest you will have to face.”

“Oh...” Barry picked up the Soul Gem with a shaky hand and watched with wide eyes as it glowed, then shrunk into a silver ring that fit snugly around his middle finger. On his fingernail, a red and gold design of a lightning bolt was seemingly stained onto the surface. “Ha...It matches my Flash costume.” Barry then passed out.

“Oh dear,” Kyubey sighed. It circled Barry’s unconscious body a few times, then crawled onto his back and curled up for a nap.


	2. Flashpoint Erased

When Barry awoke, his head was still aching but the chest pain was gone. He wasn’t on the floor in a hallway, but on a cot in the medical ward just as he’d thought. It had all been a dream. Barry sighed heavily, sitting up and startling Caitlin who was hovering nearby.

“Barry!” she gasped, hurriedly starting to look him over. “Are you alright? I couldn’t find anything wrong with you, but you were passed out in the hall…”

“I’m fine,” Barry assured her, having to fight to keep a frown off his face. He’d been in the hall? Like in the dream…? No. It was just a coincidence that was where he passed out, and probably the reason the dream mostly took place there.

But then he heard a voice. “People usually don’t pass out after they make a contract. Strange, considering the humans I mostly deal with are considered to be physically and mentally weaker.” Soft, sweet, innocent, and echoing in his mind rather than his ears.

Barry jerked in shock and Caitlin flinched back.

“Barry? What’s wrong?” She returned to his side. “Are you in pain?”

“No, I…” He cut off, staring with wide eyes at the creature sitting at the end of the bed. It watched him with ruby eyes and a catty smile, fluffy white tail flicking leisurely behind it. “Kyubey...”

“What?” Caitlin followed Barry’s gaze, but looked back at him as if she didn’t see the unnatural being at his feet. “What’s Kyubey?” Barry could only stare, first at her, then at Kyubey.

“She can’t see me, Barry,” Kyubey said, giggling. “Only those I’ve offered a contract to can.”

“This can’t be real,” Barry murmured. Caitlin bit her lip, then gently pushed Barry back so he was lying down.

“You should rest. You might have some head trauma.” She muttered something to herself and looked back in Kyubey’s direction with unseeing eyes.

“I don’t...You really don’t see it?” Barry was in disbelief as Caitlin shook her head. He quickly jerked up his right hand so he could see it, remembering the ending of the “dream.” There, against all odds, was a silver ring sitting snugly around the base of his middle finger, and a gold and red lightning bolt stained on his fingernail.

“I told you it wasn’t a dream.” Kyubey stood and walked onto Barry’s chest, looking down at him. “The contract has been made and your wish has been granted.”

“My wish…” Barry’s eyes widened and he sat up again. Kyubey was tossed to the bed, but didn’t seem to have any issue with it. “Seriously?”

“Barry, who are you talking to?” Caitlin’s hand was a grounding presence on his shoulder, keeping him from leaving the bed. Barry looked away from Kyubey to Caitlin’s worried face and winced internally. She couldn’t see the creature and thought he was crazy, or at least suffering from a head injury.

“No one,” he said, flashing out from under Caitlin’s touch and up from the bed. “There’s just something I need to see.” Kyubey leapt with grace to Barry’s shoulder, and before Caitlin could respond, he flashed out of STAR Labs and down the streets of Central City.

Kyubey clung to Barry’s shoulder with surprising ease considering the high speeds. It watched the blurred city rush by, and Barry ignored it for the most part. No one could see it, and it would be best if he pretended it wasn’t there. The only way he could prove that his dream was real, even with the ring on his finger, was by checking if his wish had really been granted.

He stopped at the CCPD, hurrying up the steps as fast as was usually humanly possible. Kyubey adjusted itself so it was sitting on his shoulder rather than clinging. Its weight was barely perceptible, and Barry might have forgotten it was there if not for the bushy tail tickling the back of his neck.

Everyone ignored him as he hurried into building and he granted them the same courtesy. Up the stairs, turn here and there, and then he was at his lab. Truly his lab. Julian and his desk were nowhere to be seen. Everything was as it was before Flashpoint.

“That’s...How?” Barry mumbled, entering the room and searching around as if Julian was hiding somewhere.

“Magic,” Kyubey said simply, hopping down from his shoulder and scratching itself behind an ear. “I told you I’d grant your wish, didn’t I?” Barry ignored it and dropped into a chair, slumping over and dragging a hand back over his scalp.

If this much had been changed, was everything else back to normal as well? Were Iris and Joe talking? Was Dante alive? Glancing at a calendar showed that it was the same date as it was before he passed out. Time hadn’t reversed or skipped forward.

“Is it really so hard to process?” Kyubey hopped into Barry’s lap and made itself comfortable. “I didn’t change time as much as I erased some of it. You and I are the only two who remember Flashpoint.” It paused. “Well, actually I don’t know what happened in that timeline, so I guess you’re the only one with those memories.”

“This is impossible,” Barry said, looking down at the creature in his lap. How had it done this? Erasing time was outside even a speedster’s capabilities. “What are you?”

“I told you.” Kyubey looked up at him and blinked innocently. “I’m Kyubey. I came here to make a contract with you. I granted your wish and gave you magic. Now your main responsibility is to fight witches.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter...but it seemed like the proper place to end it.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first story I'm posting and I don't know if I'll continue it. It's based off a shitty comic I drew and I don't really have a plot, but maybe I'll keep going with it. Also, I have never written characters from The Flash, so this was a bit of a challenge.


End file.
